
The world took notice during the 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in Paris this afternoon as French pop superstar Aya Nakamura strutted across a bridge over the Seine. Donning a gold metallic feather mini dress and a bold blonde bust down, the songstress belted out her smash hit single โPookieโ while accompanied by a live band helmed by Franceโs Republican Guard.
Yet, the triumphant moment is one many vocal Frenchmen never wanted to see happen.
Aya Nakamura currently sits as Franceโs top-selling artist worldwide. The pop singer, best known for her billion-stream hit album, 2019โs Nakamura and her chart-topping singles โDjadja,โ โCopines,โ and โPookie,โ is the most popular French singer since Edith Piaf, according to NPR. As such, itโs only natural that she was a part of the international celebration taking place in the nationโs capital, which decidedly celebrated French history and culture, including appearances from some of the nationโs top stars.
However, when whispers of Nakamura having been requested to perform at the then-upcoming 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris by President Emmanuel Macron himself broke in the French news last Sprint, the pop star was immediately subjected to racist backlash and xenophobic verbal attacks from citizens, journalists, and politicians alike.

Though born in the nation of Mali, the songstress was raised in the suburbs of Paris, sings primarily in French (though she will also incorporate Arabic, English and some West African languages), and has rested at A-list musical fame in the nation for the last five years. But naysayers claimed that her African heritage, and frankly, her Black identity, should disqualify her from representing her country on the world stage at a prestige event such as this one.
โThe French donโt want to be represented in the eyes of the world by a singer whose style is influenced by the hood and Africa,โ argued French politician and far-right extremist Marion Marechal-Le Pen on a Europe 1 Radio appearance in March. Many echoed her sentiments, accusing Nakamura of not being a โtrue Frenchwomanโ due to her African heritage and accusing her of not being โelegantโ enough to represent France.
Signs harassing the singer went up over the Seine as Olympic construction ensued, reminding her that โThis is Paris, not the Bamako market.โ








Thankfully, backed by the President, the Olympic committee, and many journalists, fans, and the music community, Nakamura remained undeterred, clapping back at the signs with a reminder that regardless of what anyone had to say, she was still the top artist in the nation.
โYou can be racist but not deaf,โ she posted on X on March 10. โThatโs what hurts you! Iโm the number 1 subject in the debateโฆbut what do I really owe you? Nothing.โ
Watch Nakamuraโs full performance HERE.